This year, I was asked to assist two of my colleagues with their teaching load, and hence ended up teaching Social Science (History and Geography) to a Grade 4 and Grade 5 class.
Having hated both of those subjects at school, my knowledge was pretty limited, but I took it as an opportunity for me to learn (as I would have to research every single chapter I had to teach).
One of the Chapters in Grade 4 History was famous leaders through time, and the two we studied were Ghandi and Nelson Mandela.
Now, I was a baby during the twilight years of Apartheid, and so I was sheltered from the indignities that non-whites had to endure during that vile time. And me being the poor History student that I am, I had to do some homework on Madiba, so that I could dialogue with my students.
As proud as I am for his efforts to affect much needed change in South Africa, I am prouder of two things in particular that I learnt about him during lesson prep: 1. That despite losing his father at an early age and going to live with another family, he still maintained a respectful manner toward all elders... 2. Prison did not stop him from furthering his education - he managed to complete post-graduate studies while he was incarcerated.
What we should take from these two aspects (and from his entire life) is that adversity is never an excuse for you to become a burden or danger to society. You can rise above your circumstance to be an exemplary human being.
Thank you, Tata, for being such an example to us. I hope that all you have striven for will not be laid to rest with you...
Having hated both of those subjects at school, my knowledge was pretty limited, but I took it as an opportunity for me to learn (as I would have to research every single chapter I had to teach).
One of the Chapters in Grade 4 History was famous leaders through time, and the two we studied were Ghandi and Nelson Mandela.
Now, I was a baby during the twilight years of Apartheid, and so I was sheltered from the indignities that non-whites had to endure during that vile time. And me being the poor History student that I am, I had to do some homework on Madiba, so that I could dialogue with my students.
As proud as I am for his efforts to affect much needed change in South Africa, I am prouder of two things in particular that I learnt about him during lesson prep: 1. That despite losing his father at an early age and going to live with another family, he still maintained a respectful manner toward all elders... 2. Prison did not stop him from furthering his education - he managed to complete post-graduate studies while he was incarcerated.
What we should take from these two aspects (and from his entire life) is that adversity is never an excuse for you to become a burden or danger to society. You can rise above your circumstance to be an exemplary human being.
Thank you, Tata, for being such an example to us. I hope that all you have striven for will not be laid to rest with you...
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